Empowering Families

Working with Katherine was probably one of the most important decisions I made in my later adult life. Given some of the decisions I faced, things could have gone in many different directions. I’m very grateful I chose to work with her. The circumstances surrounding my decision were quite interesting.

When it became apparent that I needed to take steps to get a divorce from a long marriage, it was scary. It was frightening because I was going to do this alone. It was my secret; I hadn’t told anyone, not even my former husband. I wanted to get all my ducks in a row and assemble what I call my dream team.

I asked friends for recommendations for the best attorneys in New York and interviewed three people. When I met Katherine, it was clear that she was the perfect match for me. Working with her was a pleasure. While the situation was emotional and difficult, she made it as easy as possible under the circumstances. I am very thankful because the result was great. I was focused on ensuring that my family came first.

Growing up, I experienced a very divisive, vocal, and angry divorce between my parents, which was stressful and upsetting. I resolved that if this ever happened to me, I would handle it differently. I already knew what I didn’t want, and it didn’t take long to figure out what I did want. I’m very close to my kids and my former husband. We have always been a close-knit, loving family, and I didn’t see why that had to change. I wanted to preserve what worked for all these years while changing the structure of the relationship. With Katherine’s help, I was able to achieve that.

We worked out a wonderful, peaceful arrangement with dignity and fairness, maintaining our family unit even though it looks a little different now. My advice to others is to assemble a team. Navigating this alone is not advisable. One of the things I appreciated about Katherine was that she was a true partner. She would promptly answer my emails and calls. I’ve heard from friends that their attorneys were hard to reach and the process took forever. That was not the case with Katherine.

She referred me to a therapist she works closely with, whom I also loved. It really felt like a village supporting me, making the process so much easier. I had a financial planner and everything in place even before telling my husband about the plans.

So, my first piece of advice is to have a support team. My second piece of advice is to have a vision for your life post-divorce. It’s challenging to have this vision clearly in mind amidst the emotional turmoil, but it’s essential. Knowing how I wanted my life to be afterward got me through. After the process, I moved, started a new life, and now I’m in a more independent space.

My advice is to have people who truly support you, have your best interests at heart, and are strong advocates for you.